Fastener for closures.



T. F. FOLEY.

PASTENER FOR GLOSURES.

APPLICATION FILED Ban. 1, @909.

969,776. Patented Sept. 13,1910.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS FOLEY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

FASTENER FOR GLOSURES.

To all whom it may concern: Y

Be it known that I,THOMAS F. FOLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fasteners for Closures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in looking devices for closures primarily intended for use in connection with' service- .boxes, vent boxes, or the like, but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to any particular structure to which the closure member, preferably of a cone-shaped formation normally lying above and in the path of pivoted locking dogs secured to the cover, and whereby upon the downward movement of the key the dogs will be caused to revolve upon their pivots and to contact with the bead of the ox or the sides thereof, the said cone-shaped-member being of a size larger than thatof the opening forthe key so that the same cannot be accidentally removed from the closures without the latter being removed from the box.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel construct-ion and arrangement of arts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a simple and preferred embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the minor details ofconstruction therein illustrated, as it is obvious that slight changes within the form and pro rt10n of the device may be resorted to wit out departing from the spirit of the invention.

. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed September 7, 1909. Serial No. 516,323.

Patented Sept. 13, 1910.

is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the device, showing the closure in locked position upon the box. Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the locking member disengaged therefrom and the closure partly removed from the box.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 designates a box: In the present instance the box 1 is of that class used to protect street or water valves, but it is, of course, to be understood that the-showing in the drawings is merely illustrative and that while I think it best, at the present time to illustrate the device in connection with this class of boxes it is, as heretofore stated, to be understood that the device may be applied to any structure of an entirely different nature. The box 1 in the present instance is provided with an internal head 2 which is positioned a suitable distance away from the top of the box and which is of the ordinary formation. The portion of the box above the head is beveled as clearly illustrated in the figures of the drawings, and said beveled portion is adapted for the reception of a closure 3 having its outer face beveled to correspond to the beveled portion of the box 1. The closure 3 is also, preferably, provided with a central depressed portion land the lower wall of this depressed portion is centrally provided with a threaded opening 5. The closure is provided, adjacent the opening 5 with depending arms (3, which are preferably positioned adjacent each other.

Adapted to be positioned within the threaded opening 5 of the closure 3 is a threaded key member 7 having its upper extremity provided with a suitable head 8 adapted for the reception of a wrench or other instrument, wherebythe said threaded key may be rotated within the threaded openings 5, and the lower portion of the key adjacent its threaded portion, is reduced and extended as designated by the numeral 9. v

The numeral 10 designates the coneshaped member adapted to be loosely positioned upon the reduced extension 9 of the key member 7, and this cone member is retained upon the reduced extremity 9 through the medium of a suitable washer 7 material an 11. It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described the conemembei' 10 connected with the reduced portion 9 of the key 7 through the medium of the washer 11, I do not limit myself to this precise mode of connection, as the said cone member may be connected through the medium of a pin, cotterpin, or the said member may have its lower extremity bifurcated and bent over the said washer 11. The upper and larger portion of the cones'haped member 10, adjacent its connection with the threaded extremity of the key 7 is also provided with a suitable washer 12, and the elements just described, including the key, the washers and the cone-shaped members are adapted .to be constructed of suitable non-corrodible material, so that the key will be free .to work within the opening 5 and the said washer may also at all times be free torotateupon the reduced extension 9. l

The depending fingers 6 of the closure 3 are adapted for the reception of one or more locking dogs 13. Each of these dogs 13 is provided with a substantially straightened body-portion 1 having rounded head 15, and the said dogs 13 are pivoted to the fingers 6 as designated at 16 so as to allow the rounded or arcuate faces of the dogs to be brought into contact with each other when out of engagement with the beads 2 of the box 1. The locking dogs 13 have their straightened body portions 14: of a length adapted to contact with the sides of the box directly beneath the internal bead 2 thereof.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be noted that the cone-sha ed member 10 is normally positioned directly above the arcuate faces of the dogs 13, and it will be further noted that the turning of the key 7, the threaded portion of the opening 5 of the closure 3 will force the cone downwardly into contact with the arcuate faces of the said dogs 13 and cause the same to rotate -to bringthe latter into locked position. It

will be further-noted that by constructing the cone-sha ed 'member of a non-corrodible loosely positioning the same upon the reduced extension 9 of the key the same will contact thearcuate heads of. the

dogs 13 and allow the threaded portion of the member 7 as well as the reduced extension 9 to rotate without. rotating the said cone-shaped member, and as clearly illustrated in the drawings, it will further be noted that the upper extremity of said coneshaped member 12 is larger than the area of the opening 5 which provides an effective means for sustaining t e said cone-shaped member upon the closure and whereby the key 7 cannot be accidentally removed therefrom. I

What is claimed is .1. The combination with a box, a closure for the box, said closure being provided with depending fingers, dogs being pivotally connected with the fingers,"each of said dogs being provided with an arcuate inner face, the closure having a central threaded opening, a threaded key member engaging the opening, said key member being provided with a reduced extending portion, a coneshaped member engaging this reduced exthe closure, the closure being centrally pro vided with a threaded opening, a threaded key member for the opening, said key having its upper portion provided with an enlarged head and being also provided with a downwardly extending reduced portion, a

cone-shaped member upon the reduced portion, a washer between the upper face of the cone-shaped member and the 'threaded'portion of the key, said washer being of a lar er area than the threaded opening of the c 0- sure, means for securing the cone-shaped tending portion, and means for sustaining member to the reducedextension of the key, and said cone-sha ed member adapted to normally lie direct y above the centrala an opening, a dog provided with an arcuateface and an extending arm pivotally connected adjacent its arcuate'face to the 010- sure, a key member for the opening of theclosure, said keymember havin a coneshaped end normally lyingl' above t e arcuate face of the do substantia 1y as described.

4.-The com ination with a box, of a closure for the box, said closure being provided with a threaded opening, the'closure being further provided with a depending finger,

ar uate .face and an extendin portion, a. threaded headed key member or the open said key member be" provided with a re ueed extension normal y positioned directly above the arcuate face of the dog, and the ke member bei further provided with a was er member 0 a larger area than the a do pivotal] connected with the dependarea of the threaded opening or the threaded 1c Enger, sai dog being provlded with an portion of the key member.

In testimon whereof I aflix my signature in presence 0 two witnesses.

THOMAS F. FOLEY.

Witnesses:

JOHN L. FLETCHER, M. R. MULLEN. 

